The peripheries of semiconductor chips are exposed to physical device damage, undesirable moisture, and ionic contaminants. Accordingly, a “guard ring,” also known as a “seal ring,” typically formed of a metal band, is often located around the periphery of each chip as part of the fabrication of the IC dice prior to dice singulation via laser dicing, sawing, or combinations of these. These guard rings can provide structural reinforcement and stop undesirable cracks, moisture and mobile ionic contaminants from entering active circuitry regions of the chips and affecting operational reliability.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope or to specific invention embodiments is thereby intended.